Atiyeh Sparks Outburst Of Syrian Pride At Fete

It's hard to say who was prouder - Joe Atiyeh, his family, or the Lehigh Valley Syrian community that turned out at the Holiday Inn West last night to honor the Olympic wrestling champion.

The silver medal Atiyeh won in the 220-pound freestyle wrestling competition in the Los Angeles games, and the fact he carried the Syrian flag during the games' opening ceremonies, has become the catalyst in a long- overdue outburst of Syrian pride in the Lehigh Valley.

And the two days of celebrations that concluded with last night's dinner proved just how deep and how strong that pride runs.

Outfitted in the ugal and abayeh, a flowing robe and headpiece, and sporting the First Class Merit Excellence award presented to him by Hafez Assad, president of Syria, Atiyeh moved easily through the crowd of well- wishers, frequently accepting the traditional Arab greeting of a kiss on both cheeks.

As he spoke to crowds, video tapes of his Los Angeles win and of his triumphant trip to Syria played on an oversized screen.

Among those joining the celebration were Allentown Mayor Joseph Daddona, U.S. Rep. Don Ritter, Dr. Abbas Hakim, the cultural attache from the Syrian Embassy in Washington, D.C., and representatives of the Syrian business community. Tom Best and Dick Parks, who coached Atiyeh at Parkland High School and Harrison Morton Junior High School, respectively, also attended.

Daddona, who was captain of the 1951 Allentown High School wrestling team, attested to the difficulty of the sport saying, "I know personally how difficult it is to win even a high school match."

Citing Atiyeh's drive and dedication, Daddona presented a proclamation to the Olympic champion designating Sept. 7 Joe Atiyeh Day in Allentown. He also gave Atiyeh a key to the city noting, "The door to your American hometown will always be open."

Ritter, who gave Atiyeh a copy of a commendation read into the Congressional Record and a congratulatory letter from President Reagan, offered his congratulations to the champion and drew a round of appreciative applause as he greeted the audience in Syrian.

"This Atiyeh family is a marvelous family," he said. "And there are many marvelous Syrian-American families in the Lehigh Valley. Your strength as a people goes back to your strength as a family."

Dr. Abbas Hakim, the cultural attache, offered his congratulations in Syrian, explaining that he could better express the warmth he felt in his native language.

Looking on were Joe's family - his brothers and sisters, his father Arif, who celebrated his 56th birthday yesterday and his mother Jamilie, his wife Pam and daughter Ashley.

Perhaps the Rev. Afaf Atiyeh Darcy, Joe's sister and mistress of ceremonies, caught the feel of the night best when she reiterated a newscaster's description of the Syrian Olympic team as having 14 athletes and coming from a country the size of South Dakota that never won an Olympic medal.

"Because of Joe Atiyeh," she said, "they'll never be able to say it again."